Unconventional modes of transport (UCMs) play a substantial role in many developing cities in meeting the mobility demand in spite of having negative image in the eyes of the authorities. This manuscript outlines a conjoint framework where various factors affecting sustainability and competitiveness of UCMs are identified through observation study and organized using PESTLE qualitative framework. Afterwards, it presents an AHP-TOPSIS based qualitative approach where inputs from experts as well as major stakeholders (owners/operators, drivers, conductors and passengers) are combined based on the PESTLE framework to fathom the competitiveness of UCMs. Along this process, the manuscript also unveils the business model of UCMs along with their area of operation, advantages and weaknesses. For this, the study uses Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh as study area and selects three popular UCMs – locally known as Rickshaw, Easy bike and Leguna. The findings suggest that economic, social and political factors respectively have the highest influence among all factors of PESTLE. Rickshaw was found to be the most competitive followed by Easy bike and Leguna. The study is expected to shed light into the perception and expectation of major stakeholders of UCMs which in turn will provide valuable insight for designing conventional public transport services, and/or, help in slowly integrating the UCMs into the mainstream transportation service through addressing their shortcomings.

尽管在当局眼中形象不佳，但非常规交通方式在许多发展中城市在满足交通需求方面发挥着重要作用。该手稿概述了一个联合框架，其中通过观察研究确定了影响UCM可持续性和竞争力的各种因素，并使用PESTLE定性框架进行了组织。之后，它提出了一种基于AHP-TOPSIS的定性方法，其中根据PESTLE框架将专家和主要利益相关者（所有者/操作员，驾驶员，售票员和乘客）的投入进行组合，以增强UCM的竞争力。在此过程中，手稿还揭示了UCM的商业模式及其运作范围，优势和劣势。为此，研究使用达卡，孟加拉国的首都作为学习区，并选择了三种流行的UCM-当地称为人力车，Easy自行车和Leguna。研究结果表明，经济，社会和政治因素分别在所有PESTLE因素中具有最高的影响力。人力车被认为是最具竞争力的，其次是Easy自行车和Leguna。预期该研究将阐明UCM的主要利益相关者的看法和期望，这反过来将为设计常规公共交通服务提供宝贵的见解，和/或通过解决其缺点帮助UCM缓慢地融入主流交通服务。社会和政治因素分别在所有PESTLE因素中具有最高的影响力。人力车被认为是最具竞争力的，其次是Easy自行车和Leguna。预期该研究将阐明UCM的主要利益相关者的看法和期望，这反过来将为设计常规公共交通服务提供宝贵的见解，和/或通过解决其缺点帮助UCM缓慢地融入主流交通服务。社会和政治因素分别在PESTLE的所有因素中影响最大。人力车被认为是最具竞争力的，其次是Easy自行车和Leguna。预期该研究将阐明UCM的主要利益相关者的看法和期望，这反过来将为设计常规公共交通服务提供宝贵的见解，和/或通过解决其缺点帮助UCM缓慢地融入主流交通服务。